Beinn a' Chaorainn and Beinn Bhreac

From Braemar, the road west is followed along the main street, veering right at the Braemar Brewery and Patisserie. Continue on this unclassified road for 9km to reach the bridge at the Linn of Dee.

After crossing the bridge over the River Dee, a sharp right turn leads slightly uphill to a large, well signposted car park on the left.

A one-way system operates around the car park, which is managed by the National Trust for Scotland. A parking charge applies (£5 per day as of 2026).

From the Linn of Dee car park, an obvious path (signposted) is followed northwards through the forest. The path climbs gently, crosses a boggy section via a wooden walkway, and meets a track running up the west side of the Lui Water.

For those preferring to cycle from the start, it is easier to leave the main car park and head east along the road to the start of the track by the bridge over the Lui Water, then turn north onto the track.

The track continues northwards, crossing a bridge over the Lui Water , passing the site of old townships below Clais Fhearnaig, and reaching Derry Lodge around 5km from the car park.

Beyond Derry Lodge, the track becomes rougher, and bikes may be best left here.

Keeping to the south and east side of the Derry Burn, an obvious track continues northwards through delightful Scots pine forest, climbing gradually.

After around 2km from Derry Lodge, and just before the track begins to descend, tracks can be seen heading uphill through a thinning band of Scots pines . If cycling in, this is a suitable place to leave bikes. These tracks can be followed uphill onto the flat ground of Craig Derry, after which they fade into grass. A pathless traverse over thick grass, weaving around peat hags, leads to the base of Beinn a' Chaorainn, where a developing path emerges on the ascent of the southern shoulder.

Alternatively, as the forest is left behind and views begin to open, the track can be followed as it descends onto the floor of Glen Derry. Continuing for around 3km, the Glas Allt Mòr is reached - the burn descending from the Moine Bhealaidh . The burn is crossed (which can be problematic in spate), after which a direct, pathless ascent is made north-east through heather to the flat ground south of Beinn a' Chaorainn. Crossing this often wet ground, a developing path is picked up for the final climb.

The path leads to the summit, marked by a large cairn of granite boulders on Beinn a' Chaorainn , from where fine views extend to the surrounding higher peaks on clear days.

A minor top lies to the north-east and is worth a short detour.

Just 5km of grass-covered moorland separates Beinn a' Chaorainn from Beinn Bhreac, though the crossing can feel something of a slog across this exposed ground.

From Beinn a' Chaorainn’s cairn, a descent is made initially on a worn path through scree, heading south. As the path becomes indistinct, a turn west-south-west leads down to the flat expanse of the Moine Bhealaidh.

The terrain here is predominantly grassy, interspersed with wet peat hags and small burns, making for rough, testing underfoot conditions. Beyond the worst of the peat hags, a faint path can usually be traced heading southwards.

As the ground begins to rise, this path becomes more defined, leading onto stony ground between the two tops of Beinn Bhreac. A turn east over a minor rise leads to the cairn on the main summit , from where fine views extend southwards.

From Beinn Bhreac’s summit, a south-westward line is taken, leaving the stony ground behind to begin the descent. A path heading south is ignored - this leads towards the narrow gap between Beinn Bhreac and Meall an Lundain, though Meall an Lundain is worth a detour (a Corbett Top).

As height is lost, the ground becomes increasingly heather-clad, providing a pleasant, free-flowing descent. Lower down, tracks through the trees are picked up, leading back to the main track in Glen Derry.

From here, a return is made to Derry Lodge, followed by the outward route back to the Linn of Dee, with an enjoyable cycle if bikes were used.

South-east of Beinn Bhreac, a broad crest extends over Meall an Lundain and the pass of Clais Fhearnaig to Creag Bhalg. This modest Fiona/Graham hill can be incorporated into a longer outing over Beinn a' Chaorainn and Beinn Bhreac, though it is more commonly tackled on its own.

A straightforward out-and-back ascent of Creag Bhalg can be made from the Linn of Dee, though a traverse via Clais Fhearnaig provides a more satisfying circular route.

From the Linn of Dee car park, the route described above is followed to the site of the former township in Glen Lui . Leaving the main track, a faint path cuts uphill through dense heather, climbing for around 1km to reach the mouth of Clais Fhearnaig . The path is then left, and a line is taken up a heather- and moss-covered slope, initially rough underfoot, but easing with height. The north-western top of Creag Bhalg is gained, unmarked.

The crest is then followed south-eastwards, with some effort required to avoid wetter ground. A stone seat is passed, after which a path briefly trends east to meet a track crossing the hillside. This is followed for around 100m before leaving it to climb directly towards the summit where a series of cairns is encountered, the highest point marked by what appears to be a collapsed cairn just beyond the largest intact one.

From the summit, there are fine views south-east over the flood plains of the Quoich, while in the opposite direction the ground rises back into the heart of the Cairngorms.

For the return, the path is followed back to the first cairn, then descends westwards through heather to rejoin the track . This is followed southwards as it twists and turns to a first junction , then continues down to a second junction below , where an overgrown, disused track leads back towards the roadside .